Blowout preventer



March 12,1940. TPEMCK ET AL 2,193,110

BLOWOUT PREVENTER Filed Sept. 7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 12, 1940. K. T. PENICK ET AL BLOWOUT PREVENTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 7, 1935 avwc nko oq 42M mug 2 Swerve 4 March 12, 1940. K PENICK r 2,193,110

. BLOWOUT PREVENTER Fil ed Sept. 7. 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ML, 7. Mn

K. T. PENICK ET AL ,193,110

March 12,1940.

' BLOWOUT PREVENTER S'Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 7, 1935 Ill March 12, 1940.

K. T. PENICK ET AL 2,193,110

BLOWOUT PREVENTER Filed Sept. 7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 awe/whom "fiywl ZL QYM Patented Mar. 12, 1940 were!) its 'zisaut arcane aaowonr ranvarrraa Kirby T. Penich and Arthur ll. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application September 7, i935, Seriai No. 39,607 4 Claims. (95. 251-159) surround an inner pipe, and of such formation as to form a positive seal to prevent the escape of fluid under pressure between an outer well casing and the inner pipe within said casing.

Another object of the invention isto provide, in a blowout preventer, a novel type of ram.

The invention also c'omprehends a novel com bination of head adapted to be secured upon awell casing with a pressure head therein shaped to surround the inner pipe and to permit the passage of .the inner pipe and the couplings thereof, therethrougli, with a ram type blowout preventer arranged to be actuated into active position to closely surround the inner pipe and into inactive position to clear the inner pipe and its, couplings to permit the movement of the inner pipe through the preventer without interference.

.With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation, and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrateddn the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a side view of the complete apparatus, shown partly in section, showing the rams in active position.

Fig. 2 shows a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a side view, partly in section,

showing the rams in inactive position, and also a vertical sectional view of another modification Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference desig- .inate similar parts in each of the figures, the humer'al l designates a well casing to the upper endof which acasing head 2 is connected. The

be actuated by means of the shafts l6, l6, which formed between wall 5 and lower flange l by means of the annular gasket .6. The upper and lower flanges are maintained in assembled relation by means of the bolts 7.

Slidably mounted between the upper and lower flanges 3, ii, are the oppositely arranged rams t. The rams are semi-circular in contour and their inner sides are shaped to closely surround the inner pipe 9. Their meeting ends areiormed with transverse ribs, as it, which intermesh when the rams are in active position to surround the inner pipe 9. These rams are preferably formed of yieldable material such as rubber which is moulded about arcuate skeletons, or cages H which are preferably formed of metal or similar rigid material. In the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, these cages have the outwardly extended, internally threaded sleeves l2 which are arranged to work in oppositely disposed outwardly extended housings l3, =l3, which are pref- 26 erably formed integrally with the wall 5. The outer ends of these housings l3 have the flanges M thereon bolted to which are the stufling boxes 95 of conventional construction; The rams may 30 work through the stuffing boxes l5, and have a swiveling connection with the housings l3, and whose inner ends are threaded into the sleeves it. When the shafts l6 are actuated in one direction, they will move the rams 8 into active posititon so as to closely surround the inner pipe, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and when said shafts are turned-in the other direction, they will actuate the rams into inactive position, or-outer position, as, shown in Fig. 4. These rams fit closely between the upper and lower flanges 3 and t of the casing head so as to form fluid-tight joints therewith, and the cages. ll extend from flange to flange as illustrated so as to reenforce the rams throughout their vertical thickness.

The underside of each ram has an arcuate groove or channel ll therearound forming an arcuate lip I8, and when the rams are in closed, or in active position about the inner pipe, the pressure of the well fluid beneath causes the lips '50 it to closely grip saidpipe and form a fluid-tight joint with the pipe. v

The upper outer margin of each ram 8 is formed with an outwardly curved arcuate lip It as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. As more accurately shown in Figs. 2 and 3, there are the oppositely the said flller blocks at its juncture with the up- 7 per. flange 3 is arcuately grooved as at 23, to receive the lips l9 when the rams are moved into their outer, or inactive positions. Accordingly,

when the rams 8 are moved inwardly to their active positions, their inner sides will closely flt' about the inner pipe 9; should any fluid under pressure escape past between the rams and lower flange 4 while the rams are in active position, and into the space between said rams and the surrounding wall 5, the pressure of the fluid in said space about the rams will operate to force the arcuate lip [9 up against and into sealing contact with the lower face of the upper flange 3 so as to form a very effective seal to prevent the escape of the fluid from the well.

Beneath the rams 8 the casing head is provided with suitable valve controlled outflow lines, as 24.

In the forms shown'in Figs. S and 6, means are shown through which the rams 6' may be moved to active position by the application of fluid, under pressure, thereto, or may be moved to active or inactive position manually with means for securing the rams in either active or inactive positions. In this form each cage II has the outwardly extended sleeve l2, preferably formed integrally therewith and threaded into the outer end of each sleeve l2 there is a gland and an actuating rod 26"works through each gland 25 and the inner end of each actuating rod has the head 21 thereon to prevent the detachment of the rod from said sleeve.

Secured to the outer end of each housing l3 there is an internally threaded housing 28 threaded into which there is a tubular shaft 29.

The outer end of the actuating rod 26 has a swiveling connecting'with the inner end of the shaft 29. There is an actuating rod 310 which works axially through each housing 28. as well as through the corresponding shaft 29 and has a splined connection with the latter. The outer end of the shaft 30 works through a stufling box 3| in the outer end of the housing 28 and has a' handwheel 32 fixed thereon.

There is a valve-controlled fluid pressure line 33 leading from a suitable source of pressure, and entering the casing head 2 outside of each ram 8 and the valve-controlled relief line 34 grad; out from said space to relieve the pressure With the operating mechanism set or adjusted, as shown in the drawings, steam or other pressure fluidmay be admitted through the lines 33' and with the relief lines 34 closed, the pressure will actuatethe rams 8 into active position so as to closely surround the innerpipe 9, as shown in Fig. 5. With the rams moved into active position, the rod 36 may be turned by means of the handwheel 32 to screw the shaft 29inwardly and the actuating rod 26 will be forced inwardly until its inner end seats against the inner end of the sleeve l2 and the corresponding ram will thus be maintained in closed position and pressure fluid may then be relieved.

When it is desired to move the rams to inactive position, the pressure lines 33 should be closed and the relief lines 34 open and the actuating the outwardly turned lips 35, as more accurately shown in Fig. 6, to more effectively retain the pressure fluid when such fluid is employed to actuate the rams.

In each of the forms the casing head 2 is provided with the upwardly flared seat 36 located above the rams and provided to receive the pressure head 31 which is shaped to fit therein and which is formed to closely surround the inner.

pipe 9 and which-is fully described in the copending application referred to.

On the pressure head 31 is the retainer ring 38 having an inside downwardly convergingseat 39 and the external annular flange 40. Clamp bolts 4| are threaded through the flange 40 and extendabove and beneath said flange. The under face of the flange 40 has an annular groove 42 to receive the seal ring 43. The lower ends of the bolts 4| extend through smooth bores in the flange 44 at the upper end of the casing head and are threaded to receive the'retaining nuts 45 which are screwed thereon. The lower face of the retainer ring 38 may thus be clamped securely against the upper end of the pressure head 31 so as to maintain thepressure head in place while lowering or elevating the tubing 9.

While using the apparatus as a blowout preventer. only to prevent the escape of pressure from the 'well while the tubing is being lowered,

- the parts'hereinabo-ve described, and ,:as illusand grip the tubing, and if gas pressure is pres;

-ent in the well the pressure head will ordinarily be sufficient to prevent its escape. However, the rams 8, 8' are in readiness for instant use in case of excessive pressure necessitating the use of them. It is to be understood that the outlet pipes 24 leading from the casing head will be equipped with the usual control valves whereby the-outflow of fluid under pressure from the well maybe controlled, or prevented. There is a slip ring 46 composed of arcuate sections shaped to be fitted around the tubing and whose outer sides' taper downwardly and conform to the shape of and are adapted. to 'fit on theseat 39 with their lower ends extended to fit within the pressure head, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. When the tubing is lowered to thedesired location, the slip ring 46 may be inserted into place and the annular packing rings 4-1:"fitted between the retainer ring 38 and the tubing and supported on the slip ring '46. These packing rings 41 are preferably formed of arcuate sections, or' may be split on one side, and are arranged so that the 'joints will be broken. The slip ring 46 forms a firm reenforcement for the inner lip of the pressure head 31 in the presence of strong pressure.

There is a slipbowl 48 whose lower end has the annular flange 49 through which the upper ends of the bolts 4| pass and the slip bowl is retained in assembled position by the nuts which is screwed onto the upper ends of said bolts. The clamp ring 38 has an upstanding annular flange M which surrounds the packing 4i and fits up within the slip bowl; The slip bowl is seated on a metal ring 52 which, in turn, is supported on the packing 41, and said packing may be compressed from time to time by tightening up on the nuts 50. The slip bowl has an inside, downwardly converging seat 53 to receive the conventional wedge-shaped slips 54 for supporting the tubing 9 at-the desired location.

The upper side of the flange 40 has an annular groove 55 therearound. When the apparatus is being used as a blowout preventer only, and is assembled asshown in Fig. 4, in case the pressure in the well is unusually strong and there is danger of a blowout, an additional blowout preventer of the general type such as is shown in our copending application No. 716,344, filed on March 19, 1934, may be mounted on the clamp ring 38 and a seal ring mounted in the groove 55 to form a tight seal therewith and the said additional blowout preventer may be bolted down by means of the bolts M and the nuts 50, and thus additional protection against the threatened blowout may be provided; or that type of blowout prevent-er illustrated in Fig. 7 and disclosed in our Patent No. 1,997,152 issued on the 9th day of April, 1935, may be used as additional protection against a threatened blowout.

The drawings and description are illustrative, merelydisclosing what is now considered to be preferred forms of the invention, but not intending to restrict the invention to the exact mechan ical construction shown except as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

i. A blowout preventer comprising a tubular head adapted to :be connected to the upper end of a pipe in a well bore and having a vertical passageway and guides extending outwardly from said passageway and whose outer ends are closed. rams in said guides formed of yieldable material and whose facing sides are shaped to fit closely about the inner pipe and to close said passagewayend wall and top of the corresponding guide and each ram having outward]; and inwardly directed lips which fit closely against the bottom of the corresponding guide when the ram is in either position which are efi'ective to prevent escape of fluid under pressure from the guides behind said rams into the passageway above.

2. A blowout preventer comprising a. tubular head adapted to be connected to the upper end 01' a pipe in a well and having a vertical passageway and guides extending outwardly from said passageway and whose outer ends are'closed, rams in said guides formed of yieldable material and whose facing sides are shaped to fit closely about an inner pipe in the passageway and to close said passageway when the rams are in their inner or active position, an inwardly directed lip at the lower inner margin of each ram to grip said pipe when the rams are in their inner position, the .outer side of each ram at its upper margin being formed into outwardly tapering lips, the guides being internally contoured to receive said outer lips snugly, an outer lip at the lower end of each ram which has a flat, lower end face and outwardly and inwardly directed lips in contact with the bottom of the corresponding guideway. I f

3. A blowout preventer comprising a casing head adapted to be connected to a well casing and having radial guideways, rams fitted in said guideways, whose sides are shaped to surround an inner pipe, each ram comprising a rigid skeleton and a resilient body surrounding the skeleton, means for actuating each ram into active position in contact with the inner pipe and into inactive position spaced from the inner pipe, each ram having a lower end groove forming inner and outer inwardly directed lips, each outer lip thereafter having a flat face terminating in outwardly and inwardly directed lips contacting with the bottoms of the guideways when the rams are in either position and the inner lips contacting with the bottoms of the guideways when the rams are in inactive position and surrounding and in contact with the inner pipe when the rams are in active position.

4. In a blowout preventer a ram formed substantially of resilient material and having a skeleton therein, the inner side of said ram being shaped to conform to the-shape of a round object, the upper end of the ram presenting a substantially plane surface and having an out-.

presents a substantially plane flat face which terminates in outwardly and inwardly directed, tapering, marginal lips.

' K. T. PENICK.

ARTHUR J. PENICK. 

